FOREIGN POLICY

MAY 29. 2026

The Dollar Was—and Remains—an Accident

As a new book shows, the dollar isn’t really the United States’ currency, but a 500-year-old relic.

Authoritarian Transformation in Istanbul’s Old City

Two new books seek to capture the changing reality of Turkey and the world.

Syria Wants to Replace the Strait of Hormuz

The country hopes to fund its reconstruction by serving as the Middle East’s new transit and logistics hub.

Of Course It’s a War

Trump’s legal evasion regarding Iran reveals the rotten state of constitutional war powers.

What’s Behind the EU-Mexico Trade Deal?

With USMCA on ice, Mexico City is looking across the Atlantic for new partners.

Don’t Count the Quad Out

A more modest agenda is also more credible.

MAY 28. 2026

Groundhog Day: Iran War Edition

It’s an open question if negotiators can break the repetitive cycle engulfing the war.

Tentative U. S. -Iran Cease-Fire Extension Deal Awaits Trump’s Approval

Tehran’s leadership has also not publicly signed off on the agreement yet.

No Commodity Is Safe From the Iran War

From Diet Coke to condoms, the world’s supply chains have faced surprising downstream disruptions.

The Iran War Has Only Worsened Sudan’s Conflict

The country is uniquely vulnerable to regional shocks.

Erdogan Is Forcibly Designing His Own Opposition

Turkey is moving from repressing the opposition to reshaping it.

Cubans Abandon the American Dream

As conditions on the island worsen, people are leaving—just not for the United States.

Bibi’s Manichean Politics

Over three decades, Netanyahu’s pivot to divisive electioneering has paid off.

The Madman Strikes Back

Nixon’s theory on the power of unpredictability didn’t account for an actual madman adversary.